Capital Improvement Program

$53.8 million of park renovations, improvements planned

Dublin will get greener in the next five years with new parks, expansions and improvements planned.

Dublin City Council members last week heard details of the $202.7 million 2015-2019 Capital Improvement Program that budgets for construction, infrastructure and other improvement projects around the city.

The proposed plan had about $5.5 million for non-major park projects and $48.3 million for major parks and recreation projects.

Dublin's Director of Public Services Megan O'Callaghan said the amount of money budgeted for park renovations and improvements was increased for the proposed Capital Improvement Program, or CIP, from $2.5 million to $3.2 million.

"It's reflective of the parks aging," O'Callaghan said, adding funding will be needed for improvements such as tennis and basketball court resurfacing and fencing.

The playground at Bristol Commons was built in the late 1990s and is set for replacement as well, she said.

Funding is also set for the 2016 design and construction of a dog park on the Wallace tract, which is located just north of the Coffman and Brand Road roundabout.

"The Darree dog park is pretty busy," O'Callaghan said.

A two-acre dog park at the Wallace tract would be about the same size as the Darree Fields dog park and be located towards the front of the property to add a buffer between the park and neighboring residences.

A few council members expressed concern over adding a dog park so close to residential land and asked staff to provide more information.

"This location seems strange," Marilee Chinnici-Zuercher said.

Darree Fields is expected to have some work done in 2015 with $660,000 budgeted for Miracle Field resurfacing, parking lot expansion and re-grading of a few soccer fields, O'Callaghan said.

The proposed CIP also has $2.9 million budgeted for the continuation of the Coffman Park expansion in 2015.

The work will add a partial parking lot at the justice center park area, a parking lot along Commerce Parkway, a boulder field, new restrooms and new skate park with lighting.

The current skate park will be demolished.

Funding is set for 2017 and 2018 to build a shade plaza, small shelter, basketball court and sand volleyball courts in Emerald Fields.

The parks portion of the proposed CIP also designates $2.5 million for the design of a pedestrian bridge across the Scioto River in 2015 and $15 million for the construction of the bridge in 2016.

A total of $16 million in funding for a park on both sides of the Scioto River is set for 2015 to 2018.

"The west side of the park is envisioned as a naturalized area with connections to the Indian Run greenway, water access and trail systems," information in the proposed CIP said.

"The east side of the park will feature areas to allow for assembly space, (a) restroom/pavilion, extensive paths and landscaping, site lighting and river overlooks."

The Dublin Community North Pool is also slated to receive a baby pool area in 2018 or 2019, according to the CIP.

Dublin City Council members are expected to vote on the proposed CIP at a Sept. 8 meeting.